Apparatus for peeling tomatoes



Sept. 2 1952 M. w. LowE 2,609,022

APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES "lunununu INVENTOR. MHRA* /a nf@ Sept. 2, 1952 M. w. owE

APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 00T.. 6, 1944 INVENTOR.

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Sept. 2, 1952 M W, LQWE 2,609,022

APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES INVENTOR.

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Sept. 2, 1952 M. w. LOWE APPARATUS FOR FEELING TOMATOES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 6, 1944 Patented Sept. 2, 1 952 ,Y i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i 2,609,022 APeARA'rs Fon FEELING TOMATOES vllflark W. Lowe, Connersviille, 1nd. Aptifieeiion oeietei't, 1944., serai 'Ne 557,410

9 Claims: (ci. iis-eie) 1 My' invention relates to a lmachine for scal'ding, peeling, and'breaking' the of fruitsvand Vegtables'and `more partieularlyV to a machine for peeling tomatoes. It is the primary object of my invention te pro-duce e mee'iiinewhieii `Win operate" effectively to remove the skins of tomatoes and place them in suitable conditionfvforicarming. A further Vobject of my invention is to' remove the skins of" tomatoes with a minimum amount of 'damage to the tomatoes themselves, Still another object of my' invention is te, produce a maohin'e" in which tomatoes or other fruits and vegetetieef may te effectively tumbled .Wiiiie beine subjected' te sending of te other epeifetiens. Iii carrying 'out my invention in the preferred iorzn,'1 construct the machine in threevsections through which tomatoe'sare vsucciiisfsively conf veyedfiri a drum. such' diur is 'provided' with generally lcircuniferential slots through 4vvhiclzi the tomatoesl are exposed to the action of various means located outside the drum', In' the first section `of the vI'Yiaohine I provide a scarifying means'whioh acts through' such slo'tsto breakth skins of the tomatoes. "In the second sectionof the machine, the tomatoes are scolded, desirably by i'etsef steam eignet water iiireeteeimii'iwanily of the drum` through the slots` previously Areferred to. n thev third sectionA of the Vi'naifil'iin'e the skins ofi-the tomatoes," loosened by the qscvarifying., seal-ding, and tumbling tolwhiclithe Al'iomatoes are subjectedduring their passage throughthe drum, arerexnovedA by peeling rollers which are located outsidethe drum andwhich grip and strip Afrom theA 'tomatoes' skinsprojecting through the aforesaidfsloisl, i f, Wheeccomrianying 11iiiifings,y illusireie my, in.- .vention'z-Figs'h 1,I 2,5 and are sidefelevations respectively'of' the three seetionsy of a complete tomato-peeling machine; Eig. 4 isA an elevation oithereeeivir'ig end joi.'` the machine with tiie supply chute removed; Figli. 5 isa transverse ver.,- ticalfsection on the linehE--l-il 'of Fig. 2 Fig. is afragmental side. elevation ,of the s,ca1dingmeans on an enlarged"scale:t Fig. VV'l is a transverse vertieeiheeetien-en. the line-1 1 ef rig'. e; Fig. s is aplan View of the peelingmechansmyliigi i) is arear end elevation oifthepeeling mechanism andVFig.. 1-0 isfa fragmentalaxial section onan enlarged scaleshowing apreferredconstruction ofithedrumand thveimanner inwhich it is associeted withfthe peeiingieiiere. Y i l The machine vshown iny the drawingcomprises a frame E'Whch rotatably :supports 'a-drum designated its" entirety; by the reference' numeral '.SC' pvdod linteiforlfWithA one nioreneiieer nbs," adapted to" cause Vtentatees 12'2 ef the respeetive rings 2u; The relis az".

2 to be fed axially through the drum as it is ro'- tated, and with generally circumferentially eirten'ding slots through which the tomatoes are exposed to the action of various `means located outside the drum. Preferably, the druml is formed, as more fully shown and described in my prior Patent No. 2,332,093, of a plurality of heli# cally' coiled rods l1 (Fig. 10) covered bystrips I9 orf rubber or similar elastic material `each forme'dfcentrally to embracea rod Vl 1 and extend# ing toward the strips of adjacent rods Ato leave helical slotsv i8; As shown, the drum compy es four 'of the rods `l1 and strips I9, but this'numbermay be varied as desired. l

At intervals along its length', thev drum' [6 is provided exteriorly With supporting ringsz to each of which the rods il are secured; 1 "Each ring Av2|] is Yformed exteriorly with an annular grooveV 2'2 adapted to receive supporting rollers 2t rotatably l:neunten on the freine i5. i

For the purpose of driving the drum, theurings 2l] respectively carry ring gears 26. each of which meshes With a pinion 28 rigidlymounted Aon *a ,shaft 30 WhichV extends longitudinallyiof the frame f5A and which is adapted to be driven by anysuitable means.` InV addition to the pinions 2sA meshing with, the gears zette shaft 3in1 may be provided with rolls 32 rei'iei'vedA in the grooves loosely mounted: on the shaftjB so that they may rotate relatively thereto. W n Y. y n Asthe drum rotates, ina counter-clockwise 'direction (Figs. 4, 5, and ,'7), tomatoes suppliecllft'o the inlet end through asupply Chuter33 4WillI be fed axially through the druiniby 'theaction ofthe neiieei ribs en the stripey i 9; Retation'ef tnedriim causes the tomatoes to becarriedr upwardl'yfo'r a distance from the lowest point of thedrum, andthe tomatoeslthen s lideor roll downwardly. This movement, augmented bythe actioniof the scarifying and other external means hereinafter described, produces a' tumbling actionby which substantially all portions of the surfacey of" each tomato Will be presented toward` the slots I8`.`

`ln the rst section oi' the" machine, in which thegtomatoes areY scaried: to break their skins, I mount in association with the" lower portion of the dlfllma-shaft HlV Whichextends longitu dinally ofk thev frame l5 andis rotatablysupported therefrom ,The Shaft 4.0 is desrably located slightly belowV the` highest pointattaned byj the tomatoes inthe rotation of the drum.` -The shaft Vlll) carries lmeans adapted to project through the seis i a end engage iiieiemeioeswithin 'ihe'diiim l5; Asfsho'vvn, such means comrsesalielal ribaiintegrenv with the shaft 40 and previde on its outer surface with a multiplicity of relatively sharp projections 42. The rib 4I is of opposite hand to the strips I9, so that by rotating the shaft 48 at the proper speed and in a direction opposite to that in which the drum rotates the rib 4| will not interfere with drum-rotation. In the particular construction shown, there are four of the strips I9 in the drum I6 and one rib 4I on the shaft 48 and the pitch of the rib is one-fourth that of each of the strips 9. In order that the pitch-angle of the rib may approximate that of the slots I 8, the outer diameter of the shaft 48 is one-fourth that of the drum; and in order that the rib may remain in the slots I8 as the drum rotates, the shaft 48 is driven at a rotational speed four times that of the drum.

For the purpose of driving the shaft 48, it is provided with a drive gear 44 which meshes with an idler pinion 45 rotatably supported from a bracket 46 mounted on the main frame I5. The idler pinion 45 meshes with a gear 41 rigidly mounted on a shaft 48 which is rotatably supported in the bracket 46. The shaft 48 carries a gear 49 meshing with one of the ring gears 28 on the drum I6.

As the tomatoes pass through the machine they are carried upwardly by rotation of the drum and come into contact with the rib 4I and the teeth 42 carried thereby. The teeth break the skins of the tomatoes, and in addition tend to lift them clear of the strips I9. This lifting action of the teeth promotes a tumbling of the tomatoes and tends to prevent each tomato from sliding on the inner surface of the strips I9 with the same portion of its surface always presented toward the slot I8.

After having been subjected to the action of the teeth 42 on the shaft 40, the tomatoes continue their passage through the drum and come into contact with jets of steam or hot water. Conveniently, these jets are provided by the means illustrated in Figs. 2, 5, 6, and '7. As shown in those figures, there is disposed at one side of the drum I6 a longitudinally extend- Ving casing 68 enclosing a shaft 6I and provided on that side closest to the drum I6 with a longitudinally extending slot 62. The shaft 8| is mounted eccentrically in the casing 88 so that its Vouter surface overlies the inner end of the 'slot 82. In the outer surface of the shaft 6|, I provide 'a helical groove 63 of a pitch corresponding to the spacing of adjacent turns of the 'strips I9. The interior of the casing 60 is connected, as through a conduit' 85, with a source of steam under pressure.

Steam supplied to the casing 68 through the conduit 85 may escape therefrom at the points where the helical groove 63 crosses the slot 62, the steam entering the slot 62 by traveling in both directions toward it through the groove 83. By proper spacing ofthe turns of the helical 'groove 63, and by rotating the shaft 6| in the vproper direction and at the proper speed, there are provided a plurality of steam jets, each discharging from the slot 62 into a slot I8 and movlng along the slot 62 at a speed which maintains it opposite the associated slot I8.

For the purpose of rotating the shaft 6I, it may be provided with a reduced journal 68 which extends outwardly through a stuffing box 61 in an end wall of the casing 68 and which, beyond such end wall, has a gear 88 secured to it. The gear 68 is driven through an appropriate train of gearing from one of the ring gearsZG onthe drum I6. As shown, the gear 4 train is similar to that employed to rotate ,the shaft 40 previously described.

In the device of the drawings there is a single groove 83 in the shaft 8|, the pitch of this groove corresponding to the spacing of adjacent strips I9 in the drum I6. As there are four of the strips I9 in the drum, the shaft 6| therefore rotates at four times the speed of the drum I8. Although not essential, I prefer to make the groove 63 of opposite hand to the strips I9, and the shaft 6| therefore rotates in a direction opposite to that of the drum I6. The gear train previously referred to is designed to rotate the shaft 6| at the proper speed and in the proper direction.

As the tomatoes pass through that portion of the drum I6 coextensive with the shaft BI, jets of steam enter the slots I8 and strike the tomatoes whose surfaces are exposed through those slots. The action of such steam on the tomatoes, the skins of which have previously been broken by the action of the teeth 42, tends to shrink the skins and causes them to split. In addition, if the slot 62 is located near the highest point attained by the tomatoes in the rotation of the drum I6, as it is in the machine of the drawings, the steam jets acting on the tomatoes will appreciably augment the tumbling action. Further, the impact of the steam jets on the loosened skins will tend to peel them from the body of the tomatoes.

Itis not necessary thatthe fluid supplied to the casing 88 be steam, as hot water will'also be effective. In assisting the tumbling action and tending to .tear the skins from the tomatoes, the action ofthe jets emitted from the slot 62 is independent of the temperature of the fluid; but I prefer to use fluid of elevated temperature because of its effect in facilitating removal of the skins.

After having been subjected to the action of the steam jets, the tomatoes pass into association with peeling mechanism designed to effect complete removal of the skins. The peeling mechanism which I prefer to employ is that illustrated in Figs. 3, 8, and 9. It comprises pairs of peeling rollers 88 rotatably supported from and extending longitudinally of the frame I5. As will be clear from Fig. 9, the pairs of rollers are arranged, transversely of the machine. on an arc substantially concentric with the'axis of the drum I6 and as close as conveniently possible to the exterior surface of such drum.

For its working length, each of the rolls 80 is faced with rubber or similar elastic material, and the rolls of each pair are spaced apart a distance such that this rubber facing is compressed. The two rolls of each pair are driven in opposite directions so that the interengaging portions of their faces move generally downwardly, or away from the drum I6. k As the tomatoes pass through the drum opposite the rollers 88, their loosened skins drop through the slots I8 to become pinched between the two rolls 88 of each pair and thereby pulled downwardly away from the tomatoes.

For the purpose of driving each pair of rollers r88, I provide a drive gear 8|. The several drive gears 8| are desirably driven by a common driving means, here shown as of the chain-andsprocket variety. As will be clear from from Fig. 9, each of the drivegears is rotatable witha shaft 82H to which a sprocket 83 isvvxed, Aand a drive chain 84 is associated in common with all vsprockets 83. In order to secure an adequate arc of contact on each sprocket 84, the chain is desirablyarranged as shown in Elie. 9 passing be'- tween'and engaging onmsitesidesffoi adjacent sprockets; In addition to engaging'the sprockets 83 thefchain 84 'also engages a drive sprocket .85 and-,two1idlers 86 'andl 81. 'Oned of the idlers, here shown as -the idlerslf, is adjustableto .tighten the chainp. The :sprocket .3,5 may be driven in any oonvenientfmannerl fIhe.::two .rollers ,8D yof feach .pair are drivingly interconnected by pinions 90 `oit-equal diameter and one of them is provided With a pinion :91 en easing vthe `associated drive; gear BI. The roll bearngzthelpinion 9| .isso selected gas `to impart tov each.; `roll rota-tion in the desired direction abolie described. l ,l

In order to avoid the 4necessity. for longitudinally;,extendinglstiiening.members supporting the strips :I9 between Athe frings ,.20, whichstiffeningzfmeinbers would partially occlude theslots I8, I provide abetweenpthe -:rings supporting rollers 93. :Such frollers; .are mounted in the frame 1.5 onopposite sides ofthedrum and supportthe weight .of the strips: I9 and Vofthe tomatoes` Within the drum; :In the rfirst section of the machine, `the necessity fora ,roll 493 lon one side of the :drumimay be eliminated by making theshaft Anfof a diameterfsuchthat it-fwill support; thefstrips `I 9.

. In the operation of `the machine, tomatoes are supplied to the drum I6 through the chute 33,

and pass; axially through the drum as it is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction (Figs. 4, 5, and '7). In the first section of the .machine the skins Of-thetomatoes -are broken by the scarifying teeth 42; in the second section, the steamv jets issuing from the slot 62 through the drum-slots I8 loosen the skins and partially separate them from'thebodies of the tomatoes; and in the third section, the `.loosenedskns yhanging through vthe slots I 8- are pinchedbetween oppositely rotating rolls Burandstrippedfrom the tomatoes. Emerging `from the 4rear .end of the drum IB. 'the .tomatoes are lconveyed away 'through a discharge chute 95.

`.Jets of .steamand hot-watersprays have previously `beenxnsed toloosen the `skins of tomatoes preparatory to peeling. them,4 `but .l have found that `tlfrefp'eeling .operation ispmade evenl easier if theskins .=.of the .tomatoes-.are broken before the l.soaldingl operation. Withfthe sknsfbroken before `scaldingthe scaldingoperation seems vto enlarge breaksin the s'lsinyandV the skin .tends to peel backaway .from the breaks in it.

iThe tumbling actiontowhich-.the tomatoes are subjected-.by rotationofthe drum I 6 also 4aids j in loosening the skins. Tumbling, howeveris very hard to obtain,. asY the tomatoes are noi-,spherical and slide readily .on the .inner .surfaces of the strips I9. The rib 4I and teeth, as well as the jets ofysteam issuing fromthe slot 62, actup- Wardly-on the lower surfaces-of the tomatoes Aand tend to liftthe vtomatoes upwardly clear of the strips I9, thus promoting the desired tumbling action. Y

As will be obvious from Fig. 10, although the tomatoes have a diameter materially greater than the width of the slots I8, they nevertheless protrude through such slots. Accordingly, it is not essential that the scarifying means mounted exterlorly of the drum extend into the interior of the drum through the slots I8, as such scarifying means could be located entirely outside the drum and arranged to act only on those portions of the tomatoes which protrude through the slots. In such event, it would still be desirable to conne the actual scarifying elements 42 or their equivalent to regions opposite the slots I8 in order to avoid interferencebetweenfsuch eier'J ments and .the strips I9.

. .It will be understood `that v,the points :4.2 or other vscarifying means employed` in the practice of my invention cut through the Vskinsof .the fruit being treated along more lor `less :denite lines.V In ,this specification and the-appended claims, therefore,l the term scarifying isernployed to designate a pointed vor edged element whichcuts along amore or less well defined :line and toy distinguish such a lskin-breaking element from .a fruit-rubbing means which disintegrates theskin of the .fruit :by an abrading action liperformed over extended areas.

It was noted above thatthe strips 'I9, between the rings 20, receive support :from rollers :B3- fand preferably also .from'thesurfa'ce of the shaftfd; In :such an arrangement, 1each strip `I9 progressively -contacts va helical band `on the surfaceof the shaft 40. Obviously, in order toavoidzinter ference with the strips I9, the rib 4I and/pr scarifyng elements carriedby theshaftzmustlbe confined to the helical region of the shaftjsurface lying between successive turnsof theraforesaid helical band. The gears26 and 23 provide a positive interconnection between l the `.irumll and shaft 439 thus maintaining a definite rela.- tionship between the angular positions of the drum and shaft about their respective axes 'and insuring thatthe rib 40 and/or the scarifying elements 42 will always beproperly-aligned Jwith the Aslots I8 in the drum.

' lI .claim las my invention:

'1. Inamachine of the type described, fa frame, a l:hollow drum rotatably Vmounted Vin said yframe, said :drum being provided with a helicalslotin its wall, a shaft supported from said ,iframe oon-s tiguousto said drum and on an `axis lparallel to that of saiddrum, a helical rib on saidShat. said rib having a pitch angle equal and opposite to thatof said 4slot and projecting .through said slot into the interior of said drum, yscariiying means carried by said-.rib in .position :to engage material Within the drum, andmeans for-rotate ing said drum and. shaft in opposite direetions and intimedrelation. l 2. VIn a machine of the type-described, a frame, a hollow drum rotatably mounted in said frame. said drum being provided with a `helical fslotggin its fwall, a shaft supported from said frame .contiguous to said drum and on'an axis parallel l.to that-of said drum, scarifying means arrangedgin a helix on said shaft and extending 'through said lslot yinto said drum in position Ato :engage material therein, the pitch angle of said helix being `eolual to and opposite to that ofsaidslot. andmeans for :rotating said drum and .shaft in opposite directions and in timed relation.

3. In a machineof thetype described, arframa a 'hollow drum rotatably mountedin 'said frame, said drum being provided .with va helicalfslotin its wall, 4a shaft supportedfrom said frame contiguous to said drum and on an axis parallel to that of said drum, projections arranged in a helix on said shaft and extending through said slot into said drum in position to engage material therein, the pitch angle of said helix being equal to and opposite to that of said slot, and means for rotating said drum and shaft in opposite directions and in timed relation.

4. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a hollow drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided with a helical slot in its wall, a shaft supported from said frame contiguous to said drum and on an axis parallel to that of said drum, a helical rib on said shaft,

7 Said rib havinga pitch angle equal and opposite to that of said slot and projecting through saidv slot into the interior of said drum in position to engage material therein, and means for rotating said drum and shaft in opposite directions and in timed relation.

5. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a hollow drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided with a helical slot in its wall, a shaft supported from said frame exteriorly of said drum but contiguous thereto, scarifying means arranged in a helix on .said shaft and extending through said slot into said drum to engage material therein, and means for rotating said drum and, shaft in such relative directions and insuch timed relation as to maintain the scarifying means within the slot.

6. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a hollow drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided with a helical slot extending through its wall, a shaft supported in xed axial position from said frame exteriorly of said drum but adjacent thereto, the width of said slot being less than the diameter of fruit to be peeled, scarifying elements carried by said shaft for scarifying the skins of fruit contained in said drum and exposed by said slot, said scarifying elements being coni-"ined to a region which extends helically of the shaft and which has a width no greater than the width of said slot and means providing a positive interconnection between said drum and shaft for rotating them at a relative speed so co-ordnated with the pitch angles of the slot and said helical region' that each scarifying element, at its point of closest approach to the drum-axis, will be disposed between the sides of the slot.

7L In a machine of the type described, a frame, a hollow drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided with a helical slot extending through its wall, a shaft supported in fixed axial position from said frame exteriorly of said drum but adjacent thereto, the width of said slot being less than the diameter of fruit to be peeled, projections carried by said shaft for engagement with fruit contained in said drum and exposed by said slot, said projections being confined to a region which extends helically of the shaft and which has a width no greater than the width of said slot, and means providing a positive interconnection between said drum and shaft for rotating them at a relative speed so co-ordinated with the pitch angles of said slot and said helical region that each projection, at its point of closest approach to the drum-axis, will be disposed between the sides of the slot.

8. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a hollow drum rotatably mounted in said frame, said drum being provided with a helical slot extending through its wall, a shaft supported in fixed axial position from said frame exteriorly of said drum but adjacent thereto, the width of said slot being less than the diameter of fruit tov be' peeled, said shaft being provided with a helical rib projecting into said slot for engagement with fruit within the drum, said rib having a Width no greaterthan the width of the slot and a pitch angle equal to that of the slot, and means pro'- viding a positive interconnection between' said drum and shaft for 4rotating them at such relative speeds that said rib is maintained within the slot.

19. In a machine of the type described, a frame, a hollow, helically slotted drum.. rotatably mounted in said'frame on a generally horizontal axis, a shaft rotatably mounted in fixed axial position in said frame on an axis parallel to and below the'drum axis, said shaft engaging and supporting said drum, means for jointly rotating said shaft and drum in opposite directions, said means including a positive interconnection between the shaft and drum and operating to drive them at relative speeds so co-ordinated with the pitch-angle of the slot in the drum that a helical band of equal pitch-angle on the shaft will a1- ways remain. opposite the drum-slot and never be engaged by portions of the drum-surface'lying between slot-turns, and means mounted onsaid shaft within the confines of said helical band for engaging fruit within the drum and exposed by the slot. 2 Y

MARK W. LOWE.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED sTATEsPATENTs Number Name Date 482,283 Thomas Sept. 6, 1892 722,840 Hammer Mar. 17, 1903 995,545 Marrone June 20, 1911 1,062,935 Trust May 27, 1913 1,104,175 Dunkley July 2l, 1914 1,217,269 Burdick Feb. 27, 1917 1,252,322 Cooley Jan. 1, 1918 1,381,347 Schaller June 14, 1921 1,441,161 McCabe Jan. 2, 1923 1,448,532 Harding Mar. 13, 1923 1,466,799 vMiller Sept.4, 1923 1,581,071 Lowe Apr. 13, 1926 1,753,902 Nevills Apr. 8, 1930 1,992,995 Denner et al Mar. 5, 1935 2,146,267 .Perez Feb.v 7, 1939 2,178,007 Thompson Oct. 31, 1939 2,287,014 Allan June 23, 1942 2,332,093 Lowe Oct. 19, 1943 2,416,837 Meyer Mar. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date l 631,894 Francev Dec. 19, 1929- (2d addition t0 N0. 35,921) 

